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The Queen holds her court, as usual, but today she feels a profound malaise at it all. It's not very nice of her, but she's only half paying attention. In truth, she's not listening to what her current petitioner is talking about at all, which only makes her feel worse, but it's just so hard to focus when-
Dishes clatter to the ground, and she flinches as they loudly shatter on impact.
"Fool, you make a mockery of this court. Cease." Hisses the Knight.
"What am I here for, if not to make mockeries?"
She might have laughed at this, a month or two ago. The irritating fool and put upon knight bit is funny, until the two actually seem to just outright hate eachother. Is this her fault, for thinking that? Maybe she encouraged this, thinking it was a joke when it was real all along.
More racket, and her Knight grips the hilt of her sword so hard her knuckles go white.
"You are interfering with Her Majesty's duties-"
"I'm learning to juggle! You don't like my jokes, you don't like my music, what is a fool to do?" The Fool whines, as she gathers more clutter in her arms.
"When you say it thusly, one begins to think I may not like you."
"Oh, perish the thought."
She tries to remain a good audience, bidding her supplicant continue as they hesitate to speak.
Is this her fault for trying to court them both, when perhaps she shouldn't be courting either? It's not proper, certainly, but is that so bad? Who even makes such rules, saying you can't love your knight, your jester. How would that even affect her ability to rule? Wouldn't her knight protect her better, if they were in love? Wouldn't her jester bring her more joy?
More shattering, and her knight stomps over to the Fool.
"Must you practice in the loudest, most destructive way possible?"
"I simply use what I have around! Prithee, should I play with thine balls instead, fair knight? For I thought that was the domain of our lady-"
"Don't you fucking start, I'm in no mood-"
God, is it even really so bad for the Fool to joke of such things? Must she remain a beacon of purity? It's funny! She finds it funny.
Well, usually.
The Knight says that she must, because of heirs and marriage and such, because her liking someone entangles them in a web of political intrigue that she never asked for, because apparently such things are a danger to all of them. She can buy another year or so of safety from those who want her throne, as long as she doesn't do anything or get close to anyone or, you know, live her life.
"I'm interfering with her duties? Look how tired Her Majesty is, how distracted! I dare say you've been running her ragged-"
"You shut your mouth-"
"ENOUGH!"
The room goes silent at the Queen's outburst. Her jester and knight stare at her, and everyone else in the room looks like they would very much like to not be privy to what's about to happen.
Whatever that is. She didn't exactly think where she was going with this, it just kind of, slipped out. But she can't just watch them fight anymore.
"I think the two of you have perhaps forgotten how to behave in my court." She says, trying to keep her voice level. She's not good at sounding stern, but hopefully it's convincing enough. "I would speak with you on this, privately."
"My lady-" The Knight protests.
"Privately." Says the Queen, and she briskly exits with the two of them in tow. She walks with purpose, though she knows not where she's going, and the two follow her meekly as she wanders until they all find themselves piled into a storeroom off the kitchens.
"Right, this is as good a place as any." She says, closing the door behind them and looking at her two loves. The Fool's cheeks are hot with rage and shame, and the Knight looks like she might cry she's so pained by upsetting her.
"My- My lady, I would never- I only-" She tries pitifully to explain, and the Queen sighs.
"Oh hush, you. Come here." She says, and she draws the Knight into a kiss. Her eyes go wide, and she staggers back.
"My lady, my lady we can't-" She stammers, shocked by the blatant show of affection.
"We can. I'm sick of this."
"Oh, I'm so glad to be part of this. Truly." The Fool says, her eyes averted and her arms folded tightly to her chest. "But if you don't mind I think I'll just-"
"You hush as well! I mean it, I've had enough." The Queen says, cutting her off from leaving before kissing her as well.
The Fool does not stagger back, and instead freezes entirely; completely baffled as to how this could possibly be occurring.
"I really think this is a risk we need not take-"
"Dearest knight... we're in a cellar. Does the flour spy on us?" Asks the Queen, gently stroking her cheek.
"I just don't want to put you in harm's way..." The Knight whines.
"I know, but all this hiding is making you miserable. Making us both miserable. I'd rather risk it than feel this way and live maybe a few more months."
She glances at the Fool, still lost in thought with her fingers on her lips.
"Her as well. I'm not saying we all need to kiss out in the open, but the two of you need to know that you are not enemies." She says, taking one of each of their hands. "My love is not a finite resource to be squabbled over, and I do love you both. It breaks my heart to see you grow so at odds."
"...Okay." The knight says. "You're right. I've been foolish, making you try to pander to those who would see you dead. What kind of knight am I, asking that of you-"
"One that cares for me a great deal. They're going to try and assassinate me anyway, I trust you'll protect me whether it happens now or next year."
The Fool snaps her fingers, finally breaking out of her daze.
"Summer, four years ago- The tavern by the river- You got dizzy after one mug of ale and so we went outside to get some air, laid in the grass and watched the stars." She says, and the Queen lights up.
"You remember!" She says gleefully, and the Knight rolls her eyes.
"You've seen her almost every day since she took the throne, and now you remember?"
"What? Shut up- Your Majesty, are you telling me this whole time you've-?"
"Yes!"
"And you made me your jester?" The Fool asks, dumbfounded.
"Why not? I thought you were funny!"
"What the fuuuck." She says, rubbing her forehead. "And not telling me any of this was... protecting you from assassins?"
"Well, sort of. In a roundabout way."
"It sounds stupid when you say it like that. It's- The idea was that we could buy time as long as it seemed like she wouldn't do anything to put anyone nearer the throne than her relatives." The Knight mumbles.
"You want to put me on the throne?"
"Maybe! Maybe I'll marry both of you! I'm the Queen, I can say that's allowed. Probably." Says the Queen, and looking at the two of them with all of this finally in the open, she can't help but smile. "So we're good? You two, you can get along?"
They look at eachother, and then both look away, embarrassed.
"Yes, I, um..." The Knight says first. "I've been taking your jokes rather personally, I think; feeling like you were intruding, taking my lady away from me, and I apologize."
"Oh, no, I was- Fuck, I've barely been making jokes recently. I would beat my ass, if I had to deal with me throwing dishes around and calling it juggling. I'm the one who should apologize." Says the Fool, her hand on the back of her neck. "We're good?"
"I think so. If she says we are equal in her heart, I can believe that."
The Fool smiles devilishly.
"And are me and her equal in your heart, fair knight?" She asks.
"Don't push it. We share Her Majesty, what that means for our relationship going forward I have no idea."
"You know, she kissed you, and then she also kissed me; why, it's like we've kissed!"
"You only wish you could be so lucky."
"Hah!"
